Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The present invention relates to steering control mechanisms for order picker trucks, and more particularly to order picker trucks having a steering control mechanism which reduces operator fatigue.
Order picker trucks are used to pick products from shelves in order to fill a customer order. The products are typically stored in a rack system in which a plurality of unit loads of many products are stored. Each unit load, generally, contains a single type of product, and a customer typically requires one or more boxes of product picked from many different unit loads. This requires an operator to travel up and down one or more aisles of the rack system to pick products from many different locations in the rack system to fill the customer""s order.
An order picker truck is typically driven down an aisle by the operator standing on a vehicle operator platform which forms part of the vehicle. The operator drives the vehicle with the left foot on a brake pedal, the left hand on a vehicle steering wheel, and the right hand on a multi-functional control handle. Rotation of the steering wheel changes the angle of a steerable drive tire supporting the vehicle chassis, resulting in a different horizontal direction of travel.
Many methods are known in the art to operatively connect the steering wheel to the steerable drive tire. One known method incorporated into a Raymond Easi OrderPicker includes a rotatable steering wheel rotatably mounted to an operator console, and operatively connected to an encoder. Rotation of the steering wheel operates the encoder which produces a signal corresponding to the direction and degree of rotation. The encoder is electrically connected to a controller, such as a microprocessor, which controls a steering motor linked to the steerable drive tire. The steering motor pivots the steerable drive tire in response to the signals from the controller to steer the vehicle.
The steering wheel of known orderpickers are fixed to a shaft rotatably mounted to the operator console. In one known orderpicker, the shaft is rotatable about an axis which extends perpendicular to a console vertical plane extending between and perpendicular to the orderpicker sides. In another known order picker 1, shown in FIG. 1, the steering wheel shaft axis 2 extends inwardly from the console vertical plane 3, such that the shaft axis 2 defines an obtuse angle A with the console vertical plane 3. As a result, the steering wheel 4 faces an operator standing on the operator platform. As shown in FIG. 2, the shaft axis 2 may also define an angle B with the console vertical plane 3, such that the steering wheel 4 is angled upwardly.
The orientation of the steering wheel can require an uncomfortable operation of an operator""s wrist to rotate the steering wheel. Moreover, operation of these known orderpickers over extended periods of time can cause operator fatigue resulting from steering the vehicle. Accordingly, a need exists for a steering wheel configuration which provides a more natural movement for the operator and reduces operator fatigue.
The present invention provides a vehicle including an operator platform having a platform front end and a platform rear end joined by opposing platform sides. The operator platform is bisected by a longitudinal centerline extending through the front and rear ends. An operator console is mounted relative to the platform and extends along a vertical plane bisected by the longitudinal centerline. The vertical plane is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline. A steering control mechanism rotatably is mounted to the operator console for rotation about an axis. In one embodiment, the axis is offset from the longitudinal centerline and defines an acute angle and an obtuse angle with the vertical plane. The acute angle is defined rearwardly of the vertical plane and opens away from the longitudinal centerline.
A general objective of the present invention is to provide a steering control mechanism which minimizes operator fatigue. This objective is accomplished by provided an angled steering control mechanism which does not require uncomfortable operation of an operator""s wrist.
These and still other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the description which follows. In the detailed description below, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments do not represent the full scope of the invention. Rather the invention may be employed in other embodiments. Reference should therefore be made to the claims herein for interpreting the breadth of the invention.